Spanish cardinal calls on Catholics to be courageous amidst difficulties of today’s world

Toledo, Spain, Dec 11, 2006 / 12:00 am (CNA).- The Archbishop of Toledo, Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, called on the faithful this week to strive to renew Christian initiation without fear of today’s difficulties, because “this is God’s hour and He will not leave us orphans in such a fundamental endeavor.”

In his Advent pastoral letter, the cardinal recalled the words of Pope Benedict XVI when he was still a cardinal: “The central problem of our time is the absence of God,” which is reflected in the “problem of morality” and of “moral reconstruction” that is occurring in society.

Thus, Cardinal Cañizares said, then Cardinal Ratzinger called for “returning to the essential, we should return to God.” “This is fundamental, he stressed, as mankind is so divided by “fragments of truth” and is in great need of that which is essential in order to find meaning in life.”

For this reason, the Spanish cardinal urged the faithful to participate in strengthening Christian initiation, in order to “form Christians strong and vigorous in their faith, courageous and animated by hope, alive and committed in the charity of Christ.”

He also encouraged Catholics to make use of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and its Compendium as “fundamental instruments” for Christian education in the family and to bear witness to their faith in the midst of a plural society.